To howard



(NoModel.)

G. N. PI-IELPS.

ORBRUASTING FURNAGE.

No. 446,996. Patented Feb. 24,1891.

i' "NITED "STATES PATENT Fries. I

GEORGE N. PIIELPS, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HOWTARD S. NYMAN, OFNEV BRIGHTON, NEV YORK.

ORE-ROASTING FU RNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,996, dated February 24, 1891.

Application filed March 24, 1890. Serial No. 345,038. (No model.)

To all whom t nuty concern.-

lSe it known that I, GEORGE N. PHELPS, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ore-Roasting Furnaces, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to furnaces for roasting ores, and has for its objects to thoroughly roast the ore, prevent deoxidation of the maio terial, and economize fuel.4

To this end my invention consists in the furnace, as hereinafter described and claimed. By my device these objections are obviated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of my device in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a retort of earthenware, metal, or other suitable material, open at the top for the reception of zo the material to be roasted, as well as for the escape of the heated air passing through it. The retortAis located in an oven B, as shown, so as to be surrounded by the fuel gases in a high state of combustion, and rests upon a 2 5 base C, which in turn is located upon the top of a pit D. The retort A is separate from the base C, so that it can be removed, if desired, andrepairedoranother substituledinits place. Within the oven B is also located a superheater E, which is here shown in the shape of a cylinder, and through which air is forced and heated and carried to the retort A.

While I have shown but one retort, oven, and superheater, any number may be em- 55 ployedin accordance with the quantity of material to be roasted. Y

It will be seen that the oven Il is located between the furnace F and chimney G, so that the products of combustion must pass by 4o means of flue finto and through oven B, heating-retort A and superheater E, and thence by flue f into chimney G.

In addition to the heating of retort A, the

material therein is subjected to the action of heated aiigas follows: The base C is formed with an annular chamber U', having two valves a b connected together and forming a double valve, the valve a being perforated or otherwise apertured and closing the lower end 5o of retort A, and the valve b closing the bottom of chamber C. f

'lhe chamber O is connected with the superheater E by means of a pipe C.

H indicates an air-supply pipe, by means of which airis forced in any suitable manner through the superheaterE, pipe C, chamber C', and through perforated valve a up retort A. rlhe superheater is filled with nails d or other suitable material in small pieces, so that 4the airwill percolate through it and become 6o heated. The material to be roasted is placed in retort A through its top. It will be seen that air forced into superheater E by pipe II will become highly heated, and, passing through pipe C, chamber O', and perforated valve ct, 65 will ascend up through the material in retort A and oXidize the same. In this Way the material is roasted notl only by the action of highly heated air` passing through i-t, but also by having the retort surrounded by the fuel- 7o gases in a high state of combustion passing A from the oven to the chimney.v The material inthe retort is gently agitated by stirrers 71, on a shaft K, revolved by any suitable mechanism-as, for example, a bevel-gearing I. The shaft K is mounted at its lower end in a bearing K, and at its top in a stuffing-box M, so that it can revolve freely. The shaft K and stirrers h are hollow, anda-re kept cool by means of a circulation of cold water pass- 8o ing into shaft K from pipe t', located therein and connected with a water-supply. The water becoming heated passes off through outlet 7e. By the meansI described the material to be roasted is throughly subjected to the action of heat, the products of combustion are thoroughly utilized without any deleterious effect on the ore, and the process of roasting is hastened with a comparatively small consumption of fuel. When the material has 9o been roasted, the valves a l) are swung into the pit D and out of the way by means of an arm L, operated by any suitable mechanism, and the material drops into the pit.

lVhile my device maybe used for roasting any kind of ore, it is especially adapted for chrome iron ore, which is especially difficult to oxidize.

Having described my invention, what I claim is toc 1. In an ore-roasting furnace, the combination, with a retort, of a pit, a chamberlocated between the bottom of the retort and the pit and opening into the retort and pit., a double valve having` an apertnred upper portion and closing the top and bottom of the chamber beneath the retort', and a superheater connected by an air-supply pipe with the chamber beneath the retort, the superheater and retort being located in an oven connected at its top with a furnace and at its bottom with a ch i mney, Substantially as shown and described.

2. In an ore-roasting furnace, a substantially vertical retort inclosed in an oven connected at its top with a furnace and at its bottom with a chimney,a pit,a hot-air chamber located beneath the retort and openinginto the retort and pit', means for supplying hot air to the hot-air chamber, and a double valve having an upper apertured portion which closes the bottom of the retort and a lower portion which closes the opening between the hot-air chamber and pit, Substantially as shown and described.

i). An ore-roasting furnace consisting of a substantially vertical retort inelosed in an oven connected at its top with a furnace and at its bottom with a chimney, a hollow stirring device located in the retort and having` water supply and discharge pipes, a superheater iuelosed in the even, a hotai r chamber located beneath the retort, an air-suppl y pipe connecting,r the superheater with the hot-air chamber, a pit located beneath the hot-air chamber, and a double valve having an apertured upper portion closing the bottom of the retort and top of the hot-air chamber and a lower portion closing the bottom of the hotair chamber and the top of the pit, Substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sul)- scribed my name.

GEORGE IIIEL'IS.

Witnesses:

II. S. NYMAN, Geo. M. BROOKS. 

